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Sunday, July 13, 2008

Abagond, You Will Never Learn

Awhile ago I wrote a post entitled, Hey You Fatty. It was a take down of a blogger who goes by the name Abagond. In the post I had incorrectly named his blog as Qviloa, a mistake I won't make a second time. I do believe it was a kindness considering the woman hating, fat phobic swill that he was throwing. He wrote a post in response. Now of course his defence was more of the same unintelligible crap. At any rate that is not the point of today's discussion.

I decided to read through the commentary thread, and it was there that I found something common to most people who cannot admit that they are sexist, or that they exist with some sort of privilege. It seems our less than wise sage is also drum roll please....Homophobic.

When asked by a reader:"I’d be interested in where you stand on gay marriage. Also, if your son came home and told you he was marrying another man, would you be OK with that, seeing as how you think that beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder."

Abagond:I am against gay marriage and would be profoundly saddened if my son became part of such.

Of course you would be sad because he would not be interested in playing your sexually demeaning games with women.

Abagond:"That is because I think homosexuality is a sin but being black is not...

Is he aware that there is gay black man exist?

Abagond:I never said that gays are less than human or that they should be discriminated against. We are all sinners. But even if they are “born that way”, and probably some are, that still does not make it right. If I followed my own natural feelings, I would cheat on my wife. Does that make it right? Of course not

Would you follow my natural feelings and mute yourself? I suppose that would be too much to ask for. There is so much wrong in what you profess, and yet you claim the right to sit in judgement of others.

Abagond:..Homosexuality is a sin. St Paul says so in the book of Romans. With all due respect, I think he knows about this better than either of us. Going by whatever American society says is right is a terrible moral guide. I have not taken any survey, but I think most black people know that."

Right, because the bible is the most neutral source to turn to. Can you point to a book with more acts of violence, and misogyny, I doubt it? It interests me how you can point to the bible as the source of your hatred and yet conveniently ignore things like judge not lest ye be judged, and do unto others as you would have done unto you, or how about let he who is without sin cast the first stone?

I don't believe that I need to provide more than his own words to prove his homophobia. The point I think that it is important to fixate on, is how isms interlock in his mind. This is not a phenomena that is unique to him. Someone like him is only capable of seeing oppression in the way that it effects him, and this is only possible because despite his position as a marginalized body he exists with forms of privilege in this world. By not being able to stand up for another group that is equally marginalized, what he is in fact doing is reaffirming the same power that constructs him as less than, the very same dynamics are at play. Oppression, is oppression, is oppression, you are either for it, or against it. There is no such thing as a good or acceptable form of oppression, and to perpetuate it through thought, deed, or action while decrying it when it happens to you, is to use the master tools, as Audre Lorde would say.

All of the "isms" are interconnected and in fact they form the cycles of power in our society thus creating the demarcation of difference. It does not weaken your position to admit that others share a similar plight with injustice. Seeing the pain that is inflicted in marginalization should give rise to allies,and new partnerships, not to further 'othering'. If he could understand that homophobia is just as much a civil rights issue as racism, sexism, abelism, or classism, etc what he could potentially do is increase the number of people with which he had access to, to build a foundation for a cohesive attack on privilege. When you say I don't like those "type of people", or that "those people" are less than, not only do you limit them but you limit yourself. I know that even if Abagond should decide to read this post, it will probably fall on deaf ears, but for those of you reading who are active in the struggle for justice, remember that if you cannot empathize with others, you should not expect the same courtesy in return.

He's quoting Paul, is he? I wonder if he bothered to cite and exegete his texts.

Seriously, Paul had nothing whatsoever to say about homosexuality. In his culture there was simply no concept of what we understand as homosexuality; no notion that committed, mutual sexual relationships between members of the same gender could exist.

While I am a student of theology and ethics rather than scripture, I do have some training in scriptural exegesis. Here's a post I wrote on Christian homophobia (though I didn't phrase it as strongly at the time, and there are a few places in it in which I slip into homophobic language) and arguments created to deny the full humanity of gay and lesbian persons, and the morality of same-sex relations. In it I break down each of the apparent Pauline references to homosexuality.

It is a long post, but I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to refute the hate-filled nonsense masquerading as theology.

Intense Debate Comments

About Me

I am the mother of two darling little boys that fill my life with hope. They have inspired me to help raise awareness of the issues that plague this little blue planet.
If you are looking for a blog that is all about how wonderful and rosy this world is, turn right because this space will not be for you. I am a committed humanist. I believe in the value of people over commodities. I believe in the human right to food, clothing, shelter, and education. I am pacifist, anti-racist, WOC. My truth may not be your truth, but I intend to speak it nonetheless.
Please feel free to direct questions or commentary womanistmusings@gmail.com